That Part of Me
by syaoran no hime
Summary: He had loved her even before she knew what romance was...and before he knew it was happening to him too.
1. Default Chapter

"She's got the loveliest pair of ebony eyes I've ever seen!" gushed Bulma as she leaned down towards the baby Videl was holding lovingly.   
  
"And her complexion is so milky white! She's beautiful!" added Chichi. "Hah! Our family's genes did it again!"  
  
Gohan, who was seated beside his wife, kissed her forehead lovingly. "Thank you for giving Pan to us. She's precious… a miracle…" His voice dropped to a murmur. "Just like you…"  
  
Her eyes glittered. "Gohan…"  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
"So where are the grown-ups?" asked Trunks as he and Goten made their way up the stairs leading to the hospital room where Videl was staying.  
  
"They had been there since this morning," replied the boy. "We would have been here too with them, but Mama insisted that we have to attend school."  
  
"Great! Now you've got yourself a nephew!" said the purple-haired boy, grinning. "I heard through Mom's cel that the little guy's name was Pan."  
  
"How sure are you that it is a nephew and not a niece?" the Gokou look-alike asked.  
  
"Oh come on! I'm *always* right! Besides, who would name a girl Pan?"  
  
"Who would name a boy Trunks?" Goten shot back, grinning.  
  
"Trunks is a perfectly legal name!"  
  
"Hai, hai."  
  
"Ah anyway, I already have BIG plans for Pan," announced Trunks proudly. "I would teach him all the things a boy should know in order to survive in this big bad world."  
  
"Things like what?" the ever-naïve Goten asked.  
  
"Things I usually do, like fishing with bare hands, fighting with bare knuckles—"  
  
"Frolicking in the pages of a hentai doujinshi with bare bodies of high school girls," supplied Goten, grinning.  
  
The purple-haired boy groaned. "Very funny." He then turned to knock on the door. "OK, we're here. Now no more word about the KISS Magazine that Uncle Krillin lent me."   
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
Trunks gaped at the bundled baby girl in shock. "This is Pan?!"  
  
Bulma nodded. "You have to lower your voice. The little princess is still asleep."  
  
He eyed the little girl in distaste. "Oh yuck. More girls!"  
  
"Well actually, I think she's sort of cute," said Goten, grinning at his niece. "Take a look at her eyes. They're so clear…and large!"  
  
"Like an owl's," shrugged the boy.  
  
"You can see your reflection on them!" cried the spiky-haired boy excitedly.  
  
"Oh great! Now you're suddenly poetic," he remarked. He looked at Pan's warm dark eyes that seemed to twinkle with delight. Her creamy complexion made her eyes larger, more mesmerizing.  
  
"Really?" asked Goten, grinning.  
  
He blinked.  
  
"I heard you say something about her 'creamy skin' and 'mesmerizing'," said his best friend teasingly.  
  
"Oh, I did?" He didn't know he said those words out loud! He looked away to hide his flushed cheeks. "Well, you heard me wrong. I said her crumpled…um…chin needs…ah…memorizing. Ah yes, crumpled skin needs memorizing."  
  
"What? I don't get it." Goten looked bewildered. "Now I know why your English grade is suffering."  
  
"Well, excuse me!" He rolled his eyes, then glanced at the child again.  
  
To his surprise, the tiny hands of the baby seemed to lift up towards him. Absent-mindedly, he reached for hers too, not noticing the puzzled looks he received from his mother and his best friend.  
  
Their fingers touched, and suddenly, all his annoyance he felt for the baby melted. Something warm replaced his heart as he clasped the tiny fingers as gently as he would hold a feather.  
  
"Pan…" To him, suddenly, her annoying name or her gender didn't matter anymore. He knew that an unspoken bond had already formed between him and the baby girl.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
Five years later…  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mom, I'm home!!!" the teenager Trunks cheerfully greeted, throwing his backpack on the sofa before kissing his mother's cheek. "I'll see you at dinnertime."  
  
"You're going over to Goten's house again?" Bulma asked, smiling fondly at him.  
  
"Yup! Gotta go check on my fiancée." Trunks winked at her before jumping out of the window. "See ya!"  
  
He had created a nickname for his favorite pet already… and everyone thought it was cute, so they christened little Pan with the term of "Trunks' fiancée". Pan was a little hot-tempered, and yet, the five-year-old girl melts readily with Trunks' charms.  
  
The five years passed so quickly ever since that fateful day in the hospital. He had been the major babysitter of Pan for the said years, and had made true to his promise of teaching her all the things one should know about the world, but he dropped the hentai douji part, of course.  
  
He watched before his very eyes how the baby slowly discovered her motor skills. In fact, long before she learned to speak, she could already kick a whole bicycle meters away from the yard.  
  
His eyes twinkled. That was one of the things he taught her—whenever his Uncle Goten forgets to park his bicycle properly in the garage, she could kick it there for him.  
  
"Good afternoon, Aunt Chichi!" he greeted cheerfully. "Is my fiancée awake now?"  
  
She nodded. "You came just in time. Videl and Gohan have to leave early tonight for their date, and I won't be able to fill in because I'm going to visit my father."  
  
"No problem. I can take care of her." He winked at her before heading for the garden, which he knew was the child's favorite hangout.  
  
He found the little girl seated on the grass, tying her shoelaces. He grinned. "How's my sweetheart?"  
  
He saw her head rise suddenly. She turned to him, eyes twinkling. "Uncle Trunks!!!" She rushed towards him, and just before their bodies could touch, she aimed a punch at his shoulder. Trunks laughingly caught her hand. "Nice try, Kid. But maybe a little faster next time."  
  
She nodded and grinned. "Fish…fish…"  
  
He nodded. "OK, sweetheart. We're going to catch a fish just as you want!" He kissed her hair fondly before carrying her on a piggyback.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
***  
  
Trunks shut his eyes. It had been seven years since he last saw his "fiancée". If not for this electronic message his airship received, he would not go home yet. Traveling all over the galaxy had already been his life.  
  
He read the short message once more. It was from Pan, asking him to go home immediately. The letter though, showed no clue that she still remembered the moments they spent together.  
  
Ah, but she was just still a kid then. And why should I make such a big fuss out of that? Trunks folded the letter and then pushed some buttons on the computer.  
  
"Destination?" the computer prompted.  
  
He grinned. "Planet Earth. Home base." He grinned. "I'm going home."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
**  
  
to be continued 


	2. 2

Note#1: The chapter might get confusing with the scene transitions because my italics suddenly couldn't get displayed in ff.net. Bear with me as I go through my trial-and-error method in rediscovering how to put the freakin' italics properly.

Note#2: The chapter was first uploaded with an invalid summary. Gomen! ^^ I had asked my online chatmate to upload the fics for me since the net speed god is not smiling at me. Dakedo, I forgot to tell her what summary to put. Anyway, just a clarification.

+++

_"We sure caught a lot of fish today, eh?" Trunks asked cheerfully as he and the little Pan made their way home from the fishpond._

_"Sleepy…" The girl's whisper tickled his ear. He turned his head towards the little girl he was carrying in a piggyback and grinned at her._

_"Go to sleep, sweetie," he murmured. "You deserve it after the whole afternoon of fishing."_

_"Fish…tomorrow…" With that, her eyelids shut, and he could hear her soft snore. He felt himself smile tenderly at the angel he was carrying._

+++

Her dark eyes narrowed when she heard something land in the backyard of her Aunt Bulma's house.

"That must be him," she told herself, jumping up from her seat and heading for the yard.

Behind her, Marron stirred. "I wonder what Trunks looks like now. I mean, he was just a teenager when he left. He must look different now."

She shrugged as if she couldn't care less. "Well, I better go do what I went here for."

****

Trunks grinned blissfully when the capsule opened and he found the familiar backyard of his house. "Home sweet home," he sighed before jumping down. His grin widened. Ah! It felt good to have his feet back on solid lush green earth again!

He stretched lazily before noticing the steady gaze on him. He instinctively turned to the right and found himself gazing at a petite young girl with hair and eyes dark as the infinite black galaxy he had traveled. Her head was covered by an orange bandanna, and she was wearing an outfit a rock climber or a mountaineer was more likely to don. But most of all, her eyes were piercing right through him…HIM.

He stepped back involuntarily, confused. Now who was this kid? Why was she looking at him as if he caused the Great Flood Noah survived?

She placed her hands on her hips, eyeing him still. She was sure powerfully confident about herself, the way she played the staring game. Her gaze didn't waver, didn't blink. And whether he admit it or not, he was starting to sweat a little. What was it with her eyes that could make him feel guilty even of Hitler's birth?

Then she spoke. Slowly, deliberately, she spoke. "Welcome back, Uncle Trunks."

He blinked.

From behind the ebony-haired girl appeared the friendlier face of his Uncle Krillin's child, Marron. She beamed. "How are you, Trunks! My, how you've grown!"

He appraised his childhood friend's appearance. "Right back at you." His eyes twinkled. "I bet you can twirl Goten around your pinkie finger now."

She blushed. "Goten and I are friends…and Paris…"

"…is in France, if I may say so." He winked at her. "Besides, he wouldn't have to look too far for a lady love." He nodded. "Anyway…" He turned his attention once more to the young silent girl eyeing him, arms crossed smugly in front of her chest. "This is…?" he asked Marron.

"Your personal welcoming committee." With that, the girl launched towards him and drove hard on his jaw. Trunks, not expecting the attack, was thrown several distances away before he was able to regain his balance. He frowned, rubbing his cheek. "So what's that all about?" he hissed.

The girl shrugged. "I knew it. You forgot."

"Forgot what?"

The girl shrugged. "Baka." She started to walk back into the house.

His brows knitted in concern. "Hey, hey. Why are you acting like I'm some kind of a demon or something?" He caught up with the walking girl.

She eyed him sideways. "Uncle Goten is waiting for you at home."

"G-Goten?" He massaged his temple. "You didn't answer my question! Kid, look…"

He promptly received a kick on the face from her.

She blew on her bangs. "I'm fourteen, anything but a kid."

"Fourteen?" He eyed her stature in disbelief.

"You need my birth certificate?" she asked, an eyebrow cocked.

"Your name. I would appreciate your name."

She laughed hollowly. "You wouldn't." She turned her back on him and ambled back into the house.

Marron smiled uneasily. "Ah well…Pan is passing the puberty stage. You know that she doesn't mean to be nasty…'kay?"

"Pan?" His eyes widened. "M-My fian…Pan?!" His jaw dropped. Of course! Why didn't it occur to him that she called his best friend 'Uncle'. And he left her seven years ago, on her eighth birthday!

Memories suddenly washed all over him.

***

_"I'm gonna be seven next week!" said Pan proudly as she and Trunks were building a birdhouse for her project in school._

_"So will you be having a party?" he asked as he wiped a bead of sweat away._

_"Of course I would!" she exclaimed. "Knowing Mama, she would throw a party," She groaned. "Although I would like it better if she just give me a flying dinosaur for a pet."_

_He chuckled. "How would you keep a flying dino for a pet? Don't you think your neighbors would complain?"_

_"Papa can beat them up!"  
"Somehow, I can't imagine your father doing that,"_

_"Well, YOU would!" she said confidently._

_He blinked, then pointed at himself._

_She nodded vehemently. "You're pretty strong!"_

_"Why, thank you—"_

_"And very willing." She grinned. "You're nicer than Papa."_

_"Because I always let you get away with your stunts," he said dryly. "Or I cover up for you. Do you know that your Mama wants to strangle me every time she sees us together?"_

_"No prob. You can outrun her." Her eyes twinkled naughtily. "Mama's getting heavy."_

***

"Trunks?" Marron's concerned voice broke his trance. "A-Are you alright? Should I call for a doctor to check you up? Maybe you're not used to Earth's atmosphere anymore…"

He laughed out loud. "Nonsense!" He draped a brotherly arm around the blonde. "Come on, let's go check on my buddy." He grinned. "I wonder what he looks like now. Is he still as naïve as he was before?"

Marron bit her lip, but chose not to say anything. Trunks would have to find things out for himself.

***

Trunks felt all the colors on his face disappear. "No…"

Goten chuckled weakly. "W-Why are you looking like you're looking at a ghost?"

The purple-haired man shook his head slowly. "G-Goten, w-what happened to you?" He sat on the bed where his best friend lay, looking seriously anemic and immobile.

"J-Just a bout of amnesia…nothing of national significance…" Goten sighed when he saw the incredulous look on his friend's face. "I'm fine, Trunks."

Trunks' fists clenched. This couldn't be happening! The last time that they saw each other, Son Goten was in the highest and most cheerful of spirits. Although Chichi didn't let her son go along with him in his galaxy journey, Goten promised to keep in touch. The promise though, didn't eventuate, for he was soon kept busy by the sights, sounds, and accompanying dangers of his travel, ergo, he had no chance to open his emails.

"We had been trying to get in touch with you for the longest of time." Pan materialized into the room, holding a can of Pepsi on her hand. She eyed him in disdain. "We never got an answer."

Goten shook his head slowly. "Ah, Pan, I told you, it's not really the sort of thing you should bother telling Trunks. People do get sick sometimes."

She placed her drink down. "Uncle Goten, you mean the whole world to me, and I can feel that your heart wants to see your best friend again, so I obliged." She nodded. "Excuse me. I have to cook."

Trunks' gaze followed the girl. "Boy, she sure is mad at me."

Goten sighed. "Sorry. Ever since her parents passed away, she had been like that."  
"WHAT?!" His eyes widened. "N-No way…Gohan and Videl…dead?!" Why didn't he know?!

"Onii-chan is alive…withdrawn though. No one could talk to him ever since Videl-nee' san died some three years ago. I became her surrogate parent then. I couldn't bear having a young lady like her in the prime of her growth living with my onii-chan in his condition." Goten's eyes saddened. "But my move was too late. I guess she had already been affected by the situation, although in my opinion, she could still revert to her old sweet self."

"I see…" Pity overflowed within him. "Now I understand…"

"I feel guilty," Goten said sadly. "She has become more moody ever since I got sick."

"Of course she would. She cares for you so much," said Marron from the window, eyes shaking. "She's scared…she lost her parents already, and if she loses you as well, she would be devastated."

Goten laughed quietly. "She can never lose me. I have nowhere to go."

The woman smiled sadly. "Goten…"

Goten exhaled audibly. "Look, you guys. Trunks came home already, so this calls for a celebration."

Trunks forced a smile. "But how can we party when we know you won't be able to join us?"

"Oh man, it's only vertigo…and weakness…nothing bed rest couldn't cure." Son Goten grinned. "Let's start planning!"

***

Trunks was in the middle of his narration of his adventures in outer space when he received a text message from his mother.

"I wonder how she knew I was at home," he sighed.

Marron giggled. "Oh, mother's instincts. Her connection with NASA didn't hurt though."

"Well, better check on my Mom." He saluted at the two. "See you tomorrow!"

"'Kay!" agreed Goten, eyes twinkling.

He turned to the lady. "And would you go home already?"

She looked down, eyes elusive. "Um…maybe a little later." Her cheeks started to burn. "I-I mean…Mama and Papa knows I'm here…"

"Okaaaaay," he said, nodding.

"Cool! Then maybe you can start reading the part where you left off in the novel!" cried Goten excitedly, oblivious of the knowing glances his best friend was giving the blushing young woman.

"You read for him?" Trunks grinned.

"Y-Yeah…"

Goten laughed. "You should stay for her storytelling session. She's so good!"

"Maybe some other time." He waved to them before he left the room.

Upon his exit from the gates, he noticed Pan seated by the treetop, playing Gameboy.

He looked up at her, debating as to how to greet the indifferent girl.

"Staring is so impolite, you know," she suddenly said, not bothering to look up from her game.

He cleared his throat, marginally grateful for the break she gave him. "Yes, well, I was just concerned about your eyesight. It's already dark, and—"

"In our planet, we have this thing called 'backlights'." She was still not returning his gaze. "But having been away for seven years, I guess you still have lots of catching up to do with technology."

"To hell with technology!" He walked closer towards her. "I want to catch up with…" He coughed. "…with people."

Silence.

"Pan, I know you're upset because I left Earth without saying goodbye…and because I wasn't able to keep in touch," he began nervously. He watched her face for any reaction. None , so far. He continued. "And I really am sorry…that I wasn't able to be there for you when…when you were orphaned…"

Her eyes flashed, but seconds later, they were blank as paper again. "I do not need apologies," she said at last. "It doesn't really mean that much to me…I was just a kid then…" The sound of the familiar GAME OVER tune reverberated, signaling her motion. She got up and jumped down from the tree. "Excuse me."

"Pan, wait." He stepped in front of her, blocking her path. He slipped his hands into the pocket of his slacks. "I want to be your friend…again."

She cocked an eyebrow. "Goten' nii-chan and Marron' nee-san will do, thank you very much."

His seven years of isolation in space had not prepared himself for these kinds of confrontations. He sighed deeply, calming himself. "Look, what if we make a deal?"

She paused.

"I know that Goten's health worries you very much," he said slowly. "It worries me too."

She turned to him, eyeing him icily. "Oh, your worries should be very helpful."

He chose to ignore that. "And I have an idea…it will help your uncle."

"Oh really?"

He smiled when he saw curiosity starting to reveal itself on the girl's face. "Have you heard of the dragon balls?"

"Dragon balls?" she echoed.

"Legendary seven balls that when collected, could summon a genie-like creature in the form of a dragon, and could grant you three wishes." He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "We can use that to help Goten."

"W-Where are those…dragon balls?" she asked quietly.

He nodded. "That's for us to find out."

"Us?"

"If you agree to trust me, then we can start searching for the balls. They're scattered all over the universe, and we can find them through this thing my Mom invented." He showed her the good ole dragon radar.

She looked at the thing, then looked back at him. "You're bargaining at Uncle Goten's expense. Where is your decency?"

"Pan, we're going to save your uncle," he reminded her.   
She paused, deliberating on his words. Finally, she nodded.

"Alright, we'll go get those dragon balls," she decided. She took the dragon radar from his grasp and examined it. "But this doesn't mean I trust you."

"I will wait." He smiled. Once more, he remembered what he promised Goten awhile ago.

That he would do everything in his power to get the old, sweet Pan back.

To be continued 


	3. 3

A/N: It is with regret that I have two errors in the previous chapter:

 - Trunks left Pan on her SEVENTH b-day. Sowee, I missed that part.

- Goten is suffering from a bout of ANEMIA not amnesia. Yet again, another carelessness on my part. -.-;; 

Next time I promise to be more careful when I type ^^;;.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Trunks grinned at his best buddy as they ate the last few pieces of the cake. "You're the best, Goten! Thanks for the food!"

Goten chuckled. "I'm sure you missed this kind of meal in outer space, huh?"

"Boy, you have no idea how much!" He continued munching on the chocolate cake. "Mmm! Good! Marron's an excellent cook! Don't you think so, Goten?"

"Well, she's learning a lot from Mama." He shrugged a little. "Both she and Pan cook marvelously."

"Pan…" He leaned back on his chair, a pensive look on his face. "Poor kid…Gohan should have been stronger for her. For a fighter like him, it was pretty dumb for him to allow himself to become like this. Didn't he even think about his daughter?"

"We can never read what is in Big Brother's heart and mind. He loved Videl' nee-san so much…but we just have to pray that he can get himself back together soon enough. I feel sorry for my niece."

"She doesn't look so affected…"

"That's true, but no matter how mature she may seem, she still has the heart of a child, Trunks. She gets hurt." His eyes saddened. "Have I told you what happened in Pan's birthday after you left?"

He shook his head slowly.

Goten sighed. "She refused to be in the party and she opted to wait outside the gates of the house for you. She insisted that you would come. She said that her fiancé promised her his presence."

Suddenly, the cake lost its initial taste. He put his plate down. "Y-You know that I only said that so she would let me board the spaceship already."

"She never doubted you once, Trunks. She took that promise seriously."

"She was just a child then. I didn't know it would matter that much."

Goten played with his fork. "Ah well, I trust that when you go find those dragon balls, you will be able to make it up to her."

"I'll do my best, Goten."

"Gentlemen's agreement?"

He grinned. "Of course!"

---***---

Pan quietly entered the dark room, holding a tray of cake and a glass of juice. She placed it on the bedside table, then walked towards the perfectly still figure seated by the window.

"Papa, I brought you snacks," she began.

He didn't move, even to acknowledge her presence. She was used to this stagnant response of her father, but still, it hurt. 

Deeply.

"I-It was from this welcome back party…Uncle Trunks came home already," she continued, keeping her tone even. 

Still no reaction.

"U-Uncle Trunks told me that he would be taking me along in his journey to find the dragon balls. I think it would help Uncle Goten's health…and maybe, just maybe, we can bring Mama back." Her eyes glistened with tears. "T-Then maybe we can go back to those times when we were happy, eh?"

She saw his mouth move and form her mother's name.

And it was all she could do not to cry.

She walked towards him and took his palm. She smoothed it against her cheek, and at the same time, held it lovingly. 

Yet she knew her love was not enough to take him back to the real world—the world that had been so harsh to him. The world that took the only woman he had loved with so much passion.

"Papa, goodnight…and goodbye." She shut her eyes, memorizing the touch of her father. She would keep this as a memory when she travels to outer space tomorrow.

Then something happened next that made her eyes widen. She felt his other hand run gently on her hair, smoothing it tenderly. She went still as a rock; not knowing if what was happening was real.

After so many years, was this the same person whom she fervently prayed for would show her at least a sign that he still recognized her? 

She couldn't stop anymore the lone tear that fell down. Now more than ever, she wanted to find the dragon balls. She was determined to get her father back.

---***---

After bidding goodbye to Goten, he left the bedroom and headed for the front door.

The moment he twisted the doorknob, the other side of the knob rotated to the opposite direction. 

_A thief?_

He let go of the knob and waited.

Funny, but the person on the other side seemed to have taken the same thinking as him. The knob remained undisturbed for a few seconds. Finally, unable to control his curiosity, he opened the door…

…and was met by the sudden weight of a person. They both fell down the floor.

"Ouch! Oh drat!" Trunks rubbed the back of his head and neck then looked down.

Pan was lying down, face buried against his chest.

"P-Pan?" he said, an incredulous look on his face.

---***---

Pan was stunned awhile ago when she felt the doorknob move when she was turning it to the reverse side. Thinking that somebody had broken into the house, she decided to take that robber by surprise by slamming the door open and tackling him.

She succeeded, but of course, it was not part of her plan to linger in his arms. 

Sure, he smelled kind of nice. It was not the usual cologne that her Uncle Goten wears, or her father too, for that matter. The scent was sexier, something that could mesmerize and fill all her senses so easily.

And yeah, his arms were so strong…it could promise her immediately security. But it wasn't like her Uncle Goten's at all. He Uncle Goten's touch could pacify her; these arms were doing the exact OPPOSITE. They were startling her senses, even making her heartbeat race.

But…

Wait a minute! The arms holding her…the touch was strangely familiar to her. It could only mean that this was…

"P-Pan?"

Her name prompted her to look up. She gasped when she saw that it was, indeed, Trunks.

She immediately got up, annoyed. Well, mostly annoyed at herself for letting herself act stupidly for the last few minutes. "What are you doing here?" she asked angrily to mask her embarrassment. "I thought you brought Marron' nee-san home already?"

"I came back," he replied, shrugging. "I haven't really talked with your uncle yet."

"Oh really?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "So I'm sure Uncle knows already about your intention to find the dragon balls."

"He approves," he said simply. He then paused, gazing at her intently.

"What?" she asked, slightly rattled by his intense stare.

"You've grown up…wonderfully."

She looked away, refusing to show him how his words affected her. "You think flattery will make me look at you differently?"

"Pan, don't…don't you want to listen to me first?" he asked quietly. "I had my reasons why I didn't make it to the birthday party…"

"I don't really care."

"But I want to explain!"

"And I don't have the time to listen." She got up. "Anyway, it doesn't mean anything to me." She started to walk away.

"I don't want to say goodbye to my fiancée, that's why!"  he called after her. "Because if she asks me to stay, I would do as she tells!"

She stopped walking.

"The travel was a very important one to make…for my company." He pocketed his hands into his jacket. "I'm looking for ideas that we can incorporate into the products and creations of Capsule Corp. As the president, I have to make the travel myself."

"Why are you telling me this?" She still refused to look at him. "You don't owe me these explanations. I don't need them."

"I…I thought you should know." He looked down. "I thought it would help ease the tension between us." He paused, then continued softly. "I missed my fiancée, you know. The sugar and spice angel who can bring grown men like me down to his knees."

At last, she threw him a glance. Brief, but he could see it was of pure ice. "Nothing you say will make things better. I hate you, and will always would." With that, she headed for Goten's room.

Trunks sighed deeply. Pan was proving to be more of a challenge than he initially thought.

---***---

The next day…

"Bye Pan! Bye Trunks! Take good care of yourselves!" said Goten, waving at them cheerfully.

Marron sighed. "Oh Pan, you ought you behave yourself up there. Please be careful!" She hugged the slightly amused girl tightly.

"I'll be fine, Marron' nee-san," she replied confidently, then lowered her voice. "Take good care of Uncle Goten. I entrust you my favorite uncle in the world."

The woman's cheeks turned bright pink. "Oh, not you too, Pan!" Trunks told her the exact thing last night when he walked her home.

Bra rolled her eyes. "You just came home, dear Bro. Why in a hurry to leave?"

Bulma waved at her son. "When you come back, we must already talked about grandchildren—"

"Mom!" he complained, sweatdropping.

Pan tore her eyes away from the scene and looked up at the window of their house, searching for her father's bedroom. She found it, and to her surprise, her father was standing there, as if watching them.

She smiled slowly, then saluted at him. She barely noticed Trunks gazing at her, then at her father. 

Soon, the two took their seats already. The spaceship then blasted off.

---***---

"There. We're out of the earth's atmosphere already. We can now sit back and relax and—" Trunks sighed when he saw that Pan had fallen asleep already.

He smiled fondly at the girl in slumber. Any other normal person with no previous experience in space travel would have freaked out in their exit from Earth, but Pan had maintained her composure—had even slept on it, in fact.

Ah well, Pan had always been different from the girls he had seen. Even when she was still seven, Pan knew what she wanted already, and she would go for it no matter what odds she was against.

She didn't like Barbie Dolls; she liked training in martial arts under the scorching sun. She didn't like frilly dresses, to her mother and grandmother's dismay; in fact, he had even more clothes than she did, considering her gender and age!

And she hated boys and being teased with them. Ah, Pan had never been the giggly girl type anyway. She hated mush as if it was a mortal sin.

Speaking of mush… 

His mouth twitched when he remembered what happened on Pan's first day in elementary school…

---***---

_Trunks was hurriedly finishing the paper lantern – one of Pan's whims this week—when his little fiancée rushed home, sniffling._

_Now that alarmed him. Pan…CRYING?!_

_"What's the matter, sweetheart?" he asked gently._

_The little girl shook her head, but her hiccups betrayed her._

_Goten, hearing his niece' muffled cry, joined them. With the two men's coaxing, Pan finally spoke up._

_"I'm pregnant."_

_He was…shocked, to put it mildly. Goten, on the other hand, rubbed his cheek. "Gee, how could that have happened?" _

_Marron then arrived, and she was informed of the latest happening in Pan's life. She was, of course, scandalized. Goten quickly pacified her as he asked Pan how come she knew she was pregnant._

_"W-Well…you told me that if a boy kisses me…I would get pregnant."_

_Silence, then Goten and Marron sweatdropped._

_He rubbed his head sheepishly. "My fault. I was the one who told her that."_

_"TRUNKS!!!"_

_"Sorry!!! I just wanted to protect her…"_

_Pan then went on to narrate._

_"I-I was playing tag with my boy classmate but he kept on losing to me. He couldn't outrun me, s-so he went to me and told me that I was just a girl, and girls are lame. I punched his nose."_

_"And…?" the two males asked._

_"He kissed you?" asked Marron breathlessly._

_"He punched me back."_

_The three looked…stumped._

_"So we fought, and I defeated him again."_

_"So he kissed you?" asked Goten._

_"No…he went to his big brother, crying. His brother—from sixth grade, I think, came and saw me."_

_"He punched you?" asked Marron and Goten._

_"N-No. He scolded his brother for being ungentlemanly. H-He then offered to play with me instead." She played with her shoelaces. "He kept on losing to me, but he didn't get mad. When we finished, he came to me and asked me if I had fun. I said yes. He then took my hand…and kissed it…" She started to sob all over again. "Mama will get mad if she knows about this!"_

_Marron hugged the girl. "Don't worry. We won't tell, would we, Goten?"_

_He nodded. "Boy scout's promise!"_

_"Where's that guy who did that?" asked Trunks suddenly, fists clenched. "What's his name?"_

_Pan gave him the name and his section. With that, Trunks took off._

_Later that dinner, there was a new topic in the town dinners in the whole city—the President of the Capsule Corporation chased a sixth grader all over the city and threatened to sue him with acts of lasciviousness if he wouldn't go to Pan and apologize publicly._

_So the next morning, after the flag ceremony, the poor boy went to the stage and publicly announced his apology for what he did, adding that Trunks told him that only HE had the RIGHT to kiss the girl, as his little fiancée._

_Since then on, no boy went three meters near Pan again._

---***---

Trunks smiled at the memory. He silently wondered if Pan remembers little moments such as that one.

_I doubt it, but still…I would like to hope._

He placed a blanket on her before going back to driving.

---***---

to be continued


End file.
